LCC 6317/4720 Interactive Narrative Lecture 2 January 13, 2005

The holodeck: holy grail? Offers maximum immersion and agency Offers maximum immersion and agency But is the holodeck really the ultimate interactive narrative medium? But is the holodeck really the ultimate interactive narrative medium?

Holodeck problem 1: First vs. third person First-person vs. third-person First-person vs. third-person In traditional story forms, we may cognitively simulate the mind of the main character, but we remain ourselves But Holodeck promises a first-person experience (Do you really want to be a first-person Hamlet?) How do we combine first and third-person goals? What kinds of stories can be experienced this way?

Holodeck problem 2: Seduction vs. reflection Seduction vs. reflection Seduction vs. reflection Does the holodeck just suck us into “easy” stories? Can you encourage critical reflection? What would it mean for Holodeck experiences to “break the fourth wall”

Drama vs. written narrative al la Laurel "Drama is typically more intense, tightly constructed, economical and cathartic in nature.” Enactment - tell story through action Intensification - intensify emotion and condense time Unity of action - all incidents related to central action Description - tell story through description Extensification - analysis of events; expansion of time Episodic structure - story consists of unrelated or loosely related incidents DramaNarrative

Return of the King

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

American Beauty ?

Taxi Driver ?

Topics Electronic literature Electronic literature Simulation vs. narrative Simulation vs. narrative Story generation I: morphemes and grammars Story generation I: morphemes and grammars Story generation II: author modeling Story generation II: author modeling Characters Characters Multi-player worlds Multi-player worlds Interactive drama Interactive drama

Multiform story The presentation of multiple, mutually exclusive, versions of a single plotline The presentation of multiple, mutually exclusive, versions of a single plotline Examples: It’s a Wonderful Life, Groundhog Day, The Garden of Forking Paths Examples: It’s a Wonderful Life, Groundhog Day, The Garden of Forking Paths A strategy for “interactivizing” stories A strategy for “interactivizing” stories Multiformity part of the way we think – urge to move beyond single narrative lines A narrative strategy within stories

Harbingers of the Holodeck 3D movies (but interactive?) 3D movies (but interactive?) Theme park rides Theme park rides Games Games Hypertext Hypertext AI-based characters and drama management AI-based characters and drama management

Stories have strong structure There is some global structure that organizes the entire work (and the player experience of the entire work) There is some global structure that organizes the entire work (and the player experience of the entire work) Effects of interaction are generally local – conflicts with global structure Effects of interaction are generally local – conflicts with global structure One reason that interactive narrative is so hard… Global structures and constraints are culturally grounded Global structures and constraints are culturally grounded

People Stories are primarily about people Stories are primarily about people The emotional engagement comes from people Counter-examples Counter-examples Spatial narratives… ? Games are primarily thing-based: hence their failure to tell stories Games are primarily thing-based: hence their failure to tell stories

Conflict Conflict moves stories forward Conflict moves stories forward Person vs. person Person vs. nature Person vs. herself (internal conflict) Conflict forces choice Conflict forces choice Games only offer violent conflict Games only offer violent conflict Limited storytelling range

Things stories are not Chris aims these comments primarily at the game industry Chris aims these comments primarily at the game industry Not spectacle Not spectacle Not primarily visual Not primarily visual Not primarily spatial Not primarily spatial

Interactivity Chris’ conversational definition: a cyclic process in which each agent alternately: Chris’ conversational definition: a cyclic process in which each agent alternately: Listens Thinks Speaks Eliminates reader-response notions of interaction (calling traditional media objects interactive) Eliminates reader-response notions of interaction (calling traditional media objects interactive) Let’s think of examples (and counter-examples?) Let’s think of examples (and counter-examples?)

Designing interactivity requires second-person insight Must design the piece with an eye towards audience perception Must design the piece with an eye towards audience perception Different than traditional media because there literally isn’t an expression without audience participation Different than traditional media because there literally isn’t an expression without audience participation The expression of a film or book exists without a reader/viewer This should push some post-structuralist buttons… Interactivity peculiarly powerful (persuasive) because an interactive artifact can adjust itself to the player Interactivity peculiarly powerful (persuasive) because an interactive artifact can adjust itself to the player

Factors influencing degree of interactivity Speed Speed The tighter the conversational loop, the more interactive Depth Depth “By ‘deeper’ I mean ‘penetrating closer to what it means to be human.’ Choice Choice Functional significance – the choices matter to you Perceived completeness – choices relative to what I can imagine doing

Why interactivity? It’s a unique property of computation – only computers can deliver interactive experiences It’s a unique property of computation – only computers can deliver interactive experiences It’s the hot new thing – interactivity is what’s happening now (and you can get in on the ground floor) It’s the hot new thing – interactivity is what’s happening now (and you can get in on the ground floor) Enables uniquely powerful experiences Enables uniquely powerful experiences